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Biography
 I was born in 1945 in Wichita Kansas and studied journalism in high
school, where I was sports editor of the school paper. My mother still has a copy of my first article - topic, you guessed it - fishing! I received a
Bachelors Degree from Wichita State University and a Masters Degree in Engineering from Colorado State University.
I have photos of me at three years old fishing for panfish. At eight years old, I graduated to fishing for bass and trout. I caught my first 10
-lb bass in 1968, and my first 20-lb peacock bass in 1993. For those who like trophy fishing, I have caught a 450 pound marlin, 170 pound
tarpon, 9 pound bonefish and many other giant salt and freshwater fish.
Since my first real article (I was paid) appeared in 1972, my name has appeared in
numerous national and regional outdoor magazines. In 1983, I began a fledgling book publishing company with my first book. Since then, I have written 21 books on
fishing/travel and, today, Larsen's Outdoor Publishing offers 41 titles related to the outdoors. In late 2009, I sold the LOP imprint, including publishing and distribution rights, to
National Book Network. I've also been involved in giving seminars, producing/hosting videos, entertaining angling enthusiasts on radio and TV shows, researching and developing
Florida lakes topographical maps and producing fishing information for computer software projects.
In 2001, I started the Peacock Bass Association for enthusiastic anglers who chase that
specific fish worldwide. I've also learned from, and shared knowledge with, many of my peers in several organizations of which I'm a member:
- Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA)
- Society of American Travel Writers (SATW)
- Southeastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA)
- Past President, Florida Outdoor Writers Assoc. (FOWA)
Editorial
I'm known in the industry as one of America's most widely read outdoor writers and authors. I particularly enjoy educating readers not just on the "how to" or
"where to" of fishing, but just as importantly on the proper care of fish as a resource and the conservation of its environment.
Over the past 45 years, my experiences and knowledge has resulted in 11 "how-to" books on largemouth bass, four books on South America's
peacock bass, several destination books on both fresh and saltwater fishing/travel, and contributions on outdoor/fishing topics for another ten
titles. No one was more amazed than me when I once counted more than 2,000 articles published among "Outdoor Life", "Sports Afield", "Field
& Stream", "Bassin'", "In-Fisherman", "Florida Sportsman", "Bassmaster", "Saltwater
Sportsman", "Caribbean Travel & Life" and approximately 90 other publications. No other writer has written more on bass fishing.
I continue to share this information with my readers. Currently, I'm Editor At Large for
"Florida Sportsman" and Editor-In-Chief of "Larsen's Adventure Travel Magazine". For 14
years, I was Florida Editor for "Outdoor Life". I also served as Bass Editor/Columnist for
"Fishing World", "North American Fisherman", "Petersen's Fishing", "Traveling Sportsman"
and other national magazines and was Contributing Editor for "Fishing Tackle Trade News",
"Fishing Facts", "www.Fine Fishing" and many other magazines. I also write extensive copy for "The World of Peacock Bass" web magazine at www.peacockbassassociation.com.
My books include the award-winning, 9-volume BASS SERIES LIBRARY, the 3-volume
Florida Bass Waters Series, the 4-volume Peacock Bass Series and the Outdoor Travel Series. I believe that my "Larsen on Bass Tactics" is arguably the most comprehensive
book on fishing for bass. My first book on peacock bass fishing, "Peacock Bass Explosions" was translated into Portuguese and is sold throughout Brazil. I can accurately
say that my four books and over 200 articles on the exciting peacock bass have been the catalyst for a rapidly-expanding interest in this exciting fresh water species, found in Florida
, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and South and Central America waters.
Photography
My photography has appeared on over 100 magazine and book covers and in hundreds of catalogs, ads and calendars. Approximately 10,000 of my shots have illustrated my and others'
articles in national and regional outdoor/travel publications. For details on Larry's Stock Photo List, click here!
I have sold hundreds of additional shots including product, activity, mood, sunset, underwater, scenic and destination images for corporate use in brochures and
promotional literature. For over 35 years, I've photographed the outdoors around the world, which has
resulted in a photo library of over 50,000 slides and digital images that generate additional sales for a variety of uses. My photo stock agency is Alamy, one of the largest in the world
. I have been honored with dozens of national and regional awards for my photography.
Seminars/Video/TV/Radio/Electronic
I have enjoyed being the featured guest on television shows and speaking with many of
my readers on numerous call-in radio shows. With a crew of three, I produced and hosted the videos "Advanced Bass Fishing Tactics with Larry Larsen" and "Master's Secrets to
Peacock Bass Fishing with Larry Larsen". I have also been involved in production/on-camera work on another six video projects. I have presented countless educational
seminars and slide shows at outdoor expositions in the United States and in South America. I entered the fishing software business by developing computer data for related
"techniques" software and CD Rom projects, and my fishing information/illustrations appear on more than 45 internet sites.
I spent weeks doing extensive research on 15 Florida lakes and developing the in-depth
data for the popular topographical maps that were subsequently published. That project was so successful that it resulted in personal map consultation services for professional
anglers and avid fishermen.
Fishing/Outdoors Travel
My passport is proof that I have literally traveled the globe to fish for largemouth,
peacock bass and other species, from lakes in Canada (and Alaska), southward 10,000 miles to southern Brazil. I have pursued fish as far east as Sweden's Morrum River to
Australia's Mary River some 12,000 miles to the west.
 My assignments to various destinations around the world for fresh and saltwater fishing, diving and other outdoor activities have included over 80
stops in South America, 30 in Central America, 65 in the Caribbean Islands, 6 in the Pacific, including Australia, Palua, Yap, Hawaii and Tahiti, and innumerable trips to
each of the 48 contiguous states in the United States.
I've been fortunate enough to catch several hundred largemouth bass between 6 and 13 pounds and several
hundred peacock bass between 10 and 25 pounds. To date, I have set seven peacock bass world line class records, an all-tackle world record for butterfly peacock
bass, a line class world record for Suwannee bass, and two all-tackle world records on South America's saber-toothed payara, the tarpon snook, and the silver croaker
(freshwater corvina). While I have specialized in largemouth and peacock bass, I have caught all major gamefish species in the fresh and salt waters of the Americas. Above all, I
am a strong advocate of catch-and-release fishing. I have enjoyed working with several tackle companies on new product and techniques development and with several
destinations on promotion.
Hall of Fame Recognition
One of my proudest moments was when I was informed of my induction into the Fishing Hall of Fame in 1999 as a "Legendary Angler." The award is
in recognition of my record of outstanding achievement and accomplishment which has benefited the industry and its fraternity of
participants, according to Ted Dzialo, Awards Committee Secretary of the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.
"Through his prolific writings, photography, seminars, videos, TV and radio show participation, he has passed his knowledge and the
lore of the sport to others," said Dzialo. "The pursuit of the various bass species have also earned him several world records from the U
.S. and South America." My picture now appears in their building in Hayward, WI, along with those of many other notable individuals.
I also hold an all tackle payara world record.
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